Wireless Channel Selection for Multipath Authentication of a User

Abstract

An identity verification system determines a communication channel that transmits signals between the computer system and an authentication device by selecting a data link circuit at the computer system. The identity verification system transmits an authentication request received at the computer system to the authentication device via the communication channel and the authentication device validates the authentication request. In response to the authentication device validating the authentication request, the identity verification system measures a proximity of the authentication device to the computer system based on data transmitted through a proximity channel. If the measured proximity of the authentication device satisfies a threshold proximity, the user verification system grants grant the target user access to the to the computer system.

What is claimed: 
     
         1 . A non-transitory computer-readable storage medium, comprising stored instructions encoded thereon that, when executed by at least one processor, causes the processor to:
 determine a state of each data link circuit available at a computer system comprising one or more data link circuits based on operation metrics measured for the data link circuit, each data link circuit to transmit digital data from the computer system;   determine a communication channel that transmits signals between the computer system and an authentication device by selecting a data link circuit at the computer system based on the state of the data link circuit;   transmit, by the communication channel, an authentication request to the authentication device, the authentication request generated in response to a target user requesting access to the computer system;   measure, responsive to receiving validation of the authentication request from the authentication device, a proximity of the authentication device to the computer system based on data transmitted through a proximity channel; and   grant, responsive to the measured proximity of the authentication device satisfying a threshold proximity, the target user access to the to the computer system.   
     
     
         2 . The non-transitory computer-readable storage medium of  claim 1 , further comprising stored instructions that when executed cause the processor to:
 identify each available data link circuit based on hardware specifications for the computer system.   
     
     
         3 . The non-transitory computer-readable storage medium of  claim 1 , wherein the stored instructions to determine the communication channel further comprise stored instructions that when executed cause the processor to:
 compare the state determined for a first data link circuit of the one or more data link circuits to a threshold requirement, the first data link circuit being a highest ranked data link circuit and the threshold requirement representing a measurable attribute for evaluating a potential communication channel involving the data link circuit; and   select the first data link circuit in response to the state of the first data link circuit satisfying the threshold requirement.   
     
     
         4 . The non-transitory computer-readable storage medium of  claim 2 , wherein the stored instructions further comprise stored instructions that when executed cause the processor to:
 rank each data link circuit of the computer system based on a predicted performance of a potential communication channel involving the data link circuit given the state determined for the data link circuit.   
     
     
         5 . The non-transitory computer-readable storage medium of  claim 3 , wherein the stored instructions further comprise stored instructions that when executed cause the processor to:
 compare, responsive to a determination that the state of the highest ranked data link circuit does not satisfy the threshold requirement, the state determined for a second data link circuit of the one or more data link circuits to the threshold requirement, the second data link circuit being a next highest ranked data link circuit; and responsive to the state of the second highest ranked data link circuit satisfying the threshold requirement, determine the communication channel by selecting the second data link circuit at the computer system.   
     
     
         6 . The non-transitory computer-readable storage medium of  claim 3 , wherein the threshold requirement requires one of:
 a signal strength measurement for the authentication device exceeding a threshold;   a packet loss rate measurement for the authentication device exceeding a threshold;   a channel occupancy rate measurement for the potential communication channel within a threshold for reliable data transmission; and   a latency measurement for the authentication device exceeding a threshold.   
     
     
         7 . The non-transitory computer readable storage medium of  claim 1 , wherein the stored instructions further comprise stored instructions that when executed cause the processor to:
 receive, by the communication channel, a characterization for a data link circuit at the computer system and a characterization of a corresponding data link circuit at the authentication device, wherein the characterizations describe measurements of signals transmitted by the data link circuit and the corresponding data link circuit;   determine a similarity between the characterization of the data link circuit at the computer system and the characterization of the corresponding data link circuit at the authentication device; and   determine, responsive to the similarity satisfying a threshold similarity, a proximity channel between the computer system and the authentication device by selection of the data link circuit at the computer system and the corresponding data link circuit at the authentication device.   
     
     
         8 . The non-transitory computer readable storage medium of  claim 7 , wherein the stored instructions further comprise stored instructions that when executed cause the processor to:
 compare a state of the data link circuit at the computer system to a threshold requirement, wherein the threshold requirement represents a measurable attribute for evaluating a proximity communication channel involving the data link circuit; and   determine, responsive to the state of the data link circuit satisfying the threshold requirement, the proximity channel by selection of the data link circuit at the computer system and the corresponding data link circuit at the authentication device.   
     
     
         9 . A method comprising:
 determining a state of each data link circuit available at a computer system comprising one or more data link circuits based on operation metrics measured for the data link circuit, each data link circuit to transmit digital data from the computer system;   determining a communication channel to transmit signals between the computer system and an authentication device by selection of a data link circuit at the computer system based on the state of the data link circuit;   transmitting, by the communication channel, an authentication request to the authentication device, the authentication request generated in response to a target user requesting access to the computer system;   measuring, responsive to receiving validation of the authentication request from the authentication device, a proximity of the authentication device to the computer system based on data transmitted through a proximity channel; and   granting, responsive to the measured proximity of the authentication device satisfying a threshold proximity, the target user access to the to the computer system.   
     
     
         10 . The method of  claim 9 , further comprising:
 identifying each available data link circuit based on hardware specifications for the computer system.   
     
     
         11 . The method of  claim 9 , wherein determining the communication channel further comprising:
 comparing the state determined for a first data link circuit of the one or more data link circuits to a threshold requirement, wherein the first data link circuit is the highest ranked data link circuit and the threshold requirement represents a measurable attribute for evaluating a potential communication channel involving the data link circuit; and   determining, responsive to the state of the highest ranked data link circuit satisfying the threshold requirement, the communication channel by selection of the first data link circuit at the computer system.   
     
     
         12 . The method of  claim 11 , further comprising:
 ranking each data link circuit of the computer system based on a predicted performance of a potential communication channel involving the data link circuit given the state determined for the data link circuit.   
     
     
         13 . The method of  claim 11 , further comprising:
 comparing, responsive to determining that the state of the highest ranked data link circuit does not satisfy the threshold requirement, the state determined for a second data link circuit of the one or more data link circuits to the threshold requirement, the second data link circuit being a next highest ranked data link circuit; and   determining, responsive to the state of the second highest ranked data link circuit satisfying the threshold requirement, the communication channel by selecting the second data link circuit at the computer system.   
     
     
         14 . The method of  claim 11 , wherein the threshold requirement requires one of:
 a signal strength measurement for the authentication device exceeding a threshold;   a packet loss rate measurement for the authentication device exceeding a threshold;   a channel occupancy rate measurement for the potential communication channel within a threshold for reliable data transmission; and   a latency measurement for the authentication device exceeding a threshold.   
     
     
         15 . The method of  claim 9 , further comprising:
 receiving, by the communication channel, a characterization for a data link circuit at the computer system and a characterization of a corresponding data link circuit at the authentication device, wherein the characterizations describe measurements of signals transmitted by the data link circuit and the corresponding data link circuit; and   determining a similarity between the characterization of the data link circuit at the computer system and the characterization of the corresponding data link circuit at the authentication device; and   determining, responsive to the similarity satisfying a threshold similarity, a proximity channel between the computer system and the authentication device by selecting the data link circuit at the computer system and the corresponding data link circuit at the authentication device.   
     
     
         16 . The method of  claim 15 , further comprising:
 comparing a state of the data link circuit at the computer system to a threshold requirement, wherein the threshold requirement represents a measurable attribute for evaluating a proximity communication channel involving the data link circuit; and   determining, responsive to the state of the data link circuit satisfying the threshold requirement, the proximity channel by selecting the data link circuit at the computer system and the corresponding data link circuit at the authentication device.   
     
     
         17 . A non-transitory computer-readable storage medium, comprising stored instructions encoded thereon that, when executed by at least one processor, causes the processor to:
 transmit, by a communication channel, an authentication request to an authentication device from a computer system, wherein the authentication request generated by a target user requesting access to a computer system and the communication channel transmits signals between the computer system and the authentication device; and   responsive to receiving validation of the authentication request from the authentication device, measure a proximity of the authentication device to the computer system based on data transmitted through a proximity channel; and   grant the target user access to the to the computer system responsive to the measured proximity of the authentication device satisfying a threshold proximity.   
     
     
         18 . The non-transitory computer-readable storage medium of  claim 17 , wherein the instructions to determine the communication channel further comprises stored instructions that when executed cause the processor to:
 compare a state determined for a data link circuit of the computer system to a threshold requirement, the threshold requirement representing a measurable attribute for evaluating a potential communication channel involving the data link circuit; and   select the data link in response to the state of the data link circuit satisfying the threshold requirement.   
     
     
         19 . The non-transitory computer readable storage medium of  claim 17 , wherein instructions further cause the processor to:
 receive, by the communication channel, a characterization for a data link circuit at the computer system and a characterization of a corresponding data link circuit at the authentication device, wherein the characterizations describe measurements of signals transmitted by the data link circuit and the corresponding data link circuit; and   determine a similarity between the characterization of the data link circuit at the computer system and the characterization of the corresponding data link circuit at the authentication device; and   determine, responsive to the similarity satisfying a threshold similarity, a proximity channel between the computer system and the authentication device by selection of the data link circuit at the computer system and the corresponding data link circuit at the authentication device.   
     
     
         20 . The non-transitory computer readable storage medium of  claim 19 , further comprising instructions that cause the processor to:
 compare a state of the data link circuit at the computer system to a threshold requirement, wherein the threshold requirement represents a measurable attribute for evaluating a proximity channel involving the data link circuit; and   determine, responsive to the state of the data link circuit satisfying the threshold requirement, the proximity channel by selection of the data link circuit at the computer system and the corresponding data link circuit at the authentication device.